EP.24 Have You Been Following Me All This Time? (2)

 

Parang and Xiao silently watched the floor close with a whirring sound as they emerged from the tank and returned to Xiao’s place.

 

A table rose from the floor, and Xiao placed a basket of Lotus Biscuits on it.

 

However, Parang wasn’t in the mood to touch them.

 

One of the three major powers that divided the world had sent a strike team to kill her, and another had deployed dozens of people to stop them.

 

The fact that these two organizations fought each other was somewhat understandable. They had always been at each other’s throats.

 

If not for the issue of maintaining world order, the world would have already plunged into World War III.

 

No one wanted to inherit a world ravaged by war, so they engaged in covert battles instead.

 

The problem was that Parang was at the center of it all.

 

Her mind was more confused than ever.

 

She had a conscience, of course. She had done things, so when the World Government or the Hunter Association’s top brass contacted her, she remained calm.

 

But if their intention was not just recruitment or sponsorship offers, but assassination?

 

Parang had already received an invitation from the World Government.

 

She should abandon any thoughts of seeing a favorable outcome if she went.

 

But if she didn’t go?

 

She still wouldn’t see a favorable outcome. It was a no-win situation.

 

Before her reincarnation, she had been an ordinary citizen. Even after reincarnation, her battles had been with sea monsters.

 

The feeling of someone harboring malicious intent and targeting her life was a new and quite unpleasant sensation for Parang.

 

To be honest, it was a bit frightening.

 

She might be fine since she had obtained the ‘Departure,’ but what about the other members of Oceanos? What about Hunter Shin Yuna? The orphanage? The village elders?

 

The World Government had sent nine S-rank hunters to kill her. Given that their elaborate plan had failed, it was almost certain they would target those around her next. It wasn’t just a high probability; it was a certainty.

 

In fact, it wouldn’t be surprising if they had already made a move.

 

Wait.

 

Parang’s thoughts came to a sudden halt.

 

‘Why are my acquaintances still unharmed?’

 

No harm had come to anyone around her, including those at Oceanos.

 

She had exchanged texts with the orphanage director and Hunter Shin Yuna as recently as this morning, and the village elders were all in good health.

 

If the World Government had truly decided to eliminate Parang, those people would no longer exist. At the very least, there should have been some harrowing stories like, ‘We were attacked, but barely survived.’

 

So, there was only one answer.

 

Someone was secretly protecting them from the World Government.

 

Most likely, almost certainly, it was Silo.

 

Only Silo and the Hunter Association could fend off a full-scale attack from the World Government.

 

They might even be cooperating. Even Silo couldn’t ‘perfectly’ block the World Government’s attacks alone.

 

The idea that the World Government was going easy on her or deliberately holding back was absurd.

 

Sending a strike team meant the World Government’s intent was clear. Once they made up their minds, they didn’t do things half-heartedly.

 

Parang had no idea what was happening around her.

 

The ‘Departure’ earring felt incredibly reassuring. Without it, she would have been too scared to even step outside.

 

Xiao approached Parang hesitantly and spoke.

 

“If you want, you can stay a few more days… but.”

 

“Yeah. I know.”

 

A few bodyguards wouldn’t be enough to fend off a serious attack from the World Government.

 

It might even drag Xiao into the mess.

 

Parang fiddled with the ‘Departure’ earring in her ear.

 

‘If it comes to that….’

 

She could take it and storm the World Government herself.

 

She could wipe them all out.

 

She could slaughter them so thoroughly that they wouldn’t even dare to speak.

 

Parang was confident she could invade the World Government’s Seoul headquarters, kill everyone inside, and walk out unscathed.

 

That’s the kind of being she was in the water. The moment she obtained the Departure, she became the strongest.

 

But would those who ordered her assassination just sit idly by?

 

Unless she ambushed and swiftly killed them all, they would use internal warp lines to escape to another city the moment they saw her with the Departure.

 

And then it would be impossible for her to find them.

 

How would she know if they moved to the French branch or the Argentine branch?

 

She couldn’t scour every country on Earth, tearing through governments.

 

‘In the end, it all comes back to Silo.’

 

Silo Corporation. They were as shady as the World Government, but they had protected Parang.

 

As for the Hunter Association… she wasn’t sure. They likely didn’t summon her for ordinary reasons either. Still, with the ‘Departure,’ she could at least ensure her own safety.

 

Having roughly organized her thoughts, Parang packed her things and prepared to leave.

 

Silo had secretly deployed a team of dozens to help her. She knew they had an office in Hong Kong. She planned to go there and knock on their door.

 

Since they had come to her first, she had a reason to confront them.

 

As Parang was about to step out, Xiao spoke softly.

 

“I’ll help as much as I can from my side.”

 

It was mostly just words, but she appreciated the sentiment.

 

“Thanks.”

 

And so, Parang left Xiao’s place.

 

She took a deep breath and stepped forward boldly.

 

There wasn’t much righteousness or duty in her actions.

 

And at that moment.

 

– Bzzz. –

 

A message arrived for Parang.

 

The sender’s number was restricted.

 

cylo.co.kr/maps/@rtfk…

 

Upon checking the link, it led to the address of Silo Map.

 

When clicked, it showed a route set to an incredibly tall skyscraper.

 

Based on the circumstantial evidence so far, if Parang’s prediction was correct, it was Silo who had contacted her.

 

Should she go or not?

 

Just a moment ago, she had been talking about barging in and causing a massacre, but being summoned was different from barging in.

 

‘Still, it’s probably right to go.’

 

Parang made her decision.

 

After all, Silo was the organization that had protected her, and to understand the current situation, it was right to make contact with them.

 

Although the possibility was slim, she had an alternative in case an ‘unfortunate situation’ arose.

 

Parang was about to head to the location marked on the map… but then she hesitated.

 

‘Hmm, I should probably do a check before I go.’

 

She needed to confirm that everything was working properly.

 

So, Parang moved to the dock for now.

 

#

 

– Splash— Splash. –

 

The sound of waves irregularly crashing echoed around the dock.

 

Parang stood there.

 

Knowing she would get wet later, she placed her clothes and towel far away.

 

‘Departure!!’

 

She shouted in her mind.

 

– Boom—!!! S-

 

A hemispherical space with a 10-meter radius around Parang filled with water as if a bomb had exploded.

 

‘Hmm, as expected.’

 

The surroundings were utterly devastated. Drums scattered around were flung far into the sea, and containers that weren’t far enough away were crushed.

 

‘Not something I can use in everyday life.’

 

Not that she would need to use it in everyday life.

 

It seemed better suited as an emergency escape tool or a hidden trump card.

 

If she had to escape alive, she had no choice, but she couldn’t go around sweeping a 10-meter radius clean in her daily life.

 

As a model citizen, Yu Parang couldn’t imagine causing such a public nuisance.

 

Moreover, unlike skills, activation-type artifacts couldn’t have their power adjusted. It was like how one couldn’t decide to shoot a gun softly or hard.

 

Of course, a production hunter of Han Siwoo’s caliber could create artifacts with adjustable output. He had done so several times in the story.

 

But Departure was an early creation. A pity.

 

Parang clicked her tongue and deactivated the artifact.

 

Then she trotted over to where she had left her clothes, dried herself with the towel, and roughly put on her clothes.

 

Now, it was time for the real departure. Time to face Silo, those shady individuals.

 

#

 

“Wow….”

 

The building was enormous.

 

Parang craned her neck almost at a right angle to look up at the building before her.

 

She still couldn’t see the top.

 

A skyscraper that seemed to pierce the clouds.

 

Even though Parang fought creatures larger than this building daily, looking up at such a high-rise from outside felt different.

 

To be honest, she felt a bit intimidated. Being out of the water made her feel slightly more vulnerable.

 

Parang took a deep breath and stepped into the building.

 

People around her glanced over. Bright blue hair was not a common sight.

 

Since this was Hong Kong, no one recognized her yet, but even if they didn’t know her as a broadcaster, a unique-looking beauty always drew attention.

 

Moreover, Parang was dressed in her usual perfectly fitting suit.

 

It was hard not to notice her.

 

Regardless, the unintended superstar Yu Parang entered the Silo headquarters.

 

“Are you Hunter Yu Parang?”

 

“Yes, I am.”

 

As soon as she entered, an employee in a similarly stylish suit naturally guided her somewhere.

 

Parang, already prepared to activate Departure at any moment, followed without resistance.

 

“Please go up to the top floor.”

 

Parang stopped in front of an elevator in a somewhat ambiguous corner.

 

Surely, they wouldn’t tamper with the elevator just to catch her.

 

She pressed the button for the top floor.

 

– Bzzz. –

 

The elevator began to ascend smoothly.